The producer of Silent Hill: Downpour shot down a rumor that a separate multiplayer version for the game would be published over Xbox Live.

The rumor appeared in an Italian-language magazine's interview with the game's art director. Devin Shatsky told Hell Descent the remarks were either out of context or lost in translation.

Shatsky said a multiplayer version was considered early on, but abandoned because of cost.

The original post, amended to include Shatsky's reply, follows.

An interview with the Italian-language Xbox 360 Magazine hints at Konami's plans to offer a separate multiplayer Silent Hill title over Xbox Live.

Saying that "at the moment there will be no multiplayer modes in Silent Hill: Downpour," Radek Marek, Downpour's art director, is quoted saying that "Konami are investigating a separate chapter devoted entirely to the multiplayer."

Marek said his studio did not know the details of the game, other than that it would be available via Xbox Live Arcade and "that most players have to survive in the town of Silent Hill."

It sounds a little odd; Silent Hill is quite a different survival horror game than, say, Left 4 Dead, working its scares and thrills by isolating the player. Introducing others into the mix, whether cooperatively or not, is rough departure, which is probably why it would be given its own separate title over a download service.

I pinged a Konami rep to see if this is anything they wish to address. Any update will go here.